Seminar of Theory of Relativity and Gravitation

The Standard Cosmological Model is build upon homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker models. The spatial curvature of the Standard Cosmological Model is flat and does not change across the cosmic evolution. During my talk I will show that emerging spatial curvature is a generic feature of inhomogeneous cosmological models. The curvature emerges due to nonlinear growth of cosmic structures. The emerging spatial curvature leads to a slightly higher expansion rate of the low-redshift Universe compared to spatially flat models. Thus, the emergence of spatial curvature may explain why low-redshift (late Universe) measurements favour a higher value of the Hubble constant than inferred from the high-redshift (early Universe) data. I will also present predictions on measurements of the spatial curvature of the low-redshift Universe based on future data (from DES/LSST surveys and the Euclid satellite) and show how in the next few years cosmologists will be able to measure the spatial curvature of the low-redshift Universe. If these measurements detect any variation from spatial flatness (which is predicted by inflationary scenarios of the early universe) then this will be an observational evidence for the actual emergence of spatial curvature of our Universe. During my talk I will review the evolution of human ideas on the spatial curvature of the Universe, so anyone who is interested only in the history of cosmology (rather than theory itself) is also more than welcome to attend.